Sudha Chandrasekher

🪔 About

Sudha Chandrasekher, also known as Sudha Chandra Sekhar and formerly Sudha Doraiswamy, is a highly renowned figure in Indian classical dance, particularly Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi. Her extensive career spans over six decades as a performer, teacher, guru, choreographer, and institution head. She began her classical dance training in Manipuri and Kathak in 1943 at the Rupatayan Institute in Bombay, India. In 1945, she commenced her Bharatanatyam studies under eminent gurus such as Sri Thiruvadamaradur Kuppiah Pillai, Guru A.T. Govindraj Pillai, Srimati Karunambal, Guru T.K. Mahalingam Pillai, and Guru K. Kalyanasundaram at the Sri Rajarajeshwari Bharata Natya Kalamandir, where she was intensively trained in the Tanjore style. She also pursued Kuchipudi under Guru Korada Narasimha Rao, Bharatacharya Sri Rama Acharyulu, and at the Darpana Institute, and studied Kathak from 1948 to 1967 under Gurus Srivastava and Gopikrishna. Later, she undertook short-term intensive courses in Odissi under Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra (1980-81) and Kathakali under Guru Krishna Pannikar. Chandrasekher has given approximately 7,000 performances across India and internationally. A significant milestone was her Bharata Natya Arangetram in 1956 at Mumbai's Mahalakshmi temple. In the 1960s, she was instrumental in researching and reviving ancient Navasandhi Kavuthvams with Guru Kuppiah Pillai, and is credited for incorporating bhajans and North Indian language items into the Bharatanatyam repertoire. After her marriage in 1967, she moved to Windsor, Canada, and then to Oak Park, Michigan, USA, in 1977, shifting her activities to North America. She founded and leads "Nritya Sudha's Hindu Temple Rhythms" (which celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2018) and the "Vidyanjali Dance Troupe of Michigan ensemble." She has presented over 125 students in their Arangetrams and has taught at institutions like the University of Windsor, Wayne State University, Albion College, and the University of Michigan. She also serves as a commissioner for the city of Oak Park Arts and Cultural Diversity Commission since 2007. Awards & Honours: First Prize (1958), Government of India Scholarship for Advanced Training in Bharata Natyam (1958), Best Dancer of the Year Award (1960), Natya Veda Bharati, Michigan Dance Council's Lifetime Achievement Award (2004), Nritya Seva Mani Award (2010), Natya Kala Sarovar (2019), Lifetime Achievement Award (2019), Guru T.K. Mahalingam Pillai Lifetime Achievement Award (2019), Natyakala Shikharojwala (2021), Nritya Jeevan Puraskar (2024), Kala Shikharojwala (2025).